Brain mechanics in development with fetal alcohol exposure in a rat model
Official title: Mechanisms of brain mechanics across development in a rat model of FASD
Funded at University of Delaware · NIH-11448069 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how prenatal alcohol exposure changes brain stiffness and damping as the brain develops, using a rat model to understand FASD.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Delaware NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 15, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $657,576 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AA032531-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11448069 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are children or youth with FASD or prenatal alcohol exposure and families interested in long-term brain development studies.
✕Less likely to help
Children without a history of prenatal alcohol exposure or FASD are unlikely to directly benefit from this rat-model study.
What this research studies
If your child was affected by prenatal alcohol exposure, this research may help explain how brain structure and development differ over time. The team will use magnetic resonance elastography to measure how brain tissue responds to forces in developing rats exposed to alcohol before birth. They aim to connect changes in brain mechanics with problems in myelination and neural connectivity, helping us understand the biology behind FASD. The findings could point to biomarkers or targets for therapies that support brain development in affected individuals.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: A clearer picture of how prenatal alcohol exposure affects brain development could guide future diagnostics and interventions for FASD.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary work in rats suggests brain mechanics change with prenatal alcohol exposure, but translating this to development is still being explored.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Delaware
Newark, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Klintsova, Anna Y — University of Delaware
- Study coordinator: Klintsova, Anna Y
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.